Mounting apparatus for removable module

ABSTRACT

A mounting apparatus for mounting a removable module in a chassis with a sidewall defining a locking slot includes a locking member, and an operation member. The removable module includes a side plate defining a through slot, and an end plate defining a through hole adjacent to the end plate. The operation member is slidably attached to an inner surface of the side plate. The locking member includes a mounting piece fixed to the inner surface of the side plate, and a resilient piece slantingly extending from the mounting piece. A wedge extends from the resilient piece. The operation member includes a handle and a pressing portion. The handle is operated to slide the operation member in along the side plate to press the resilient piece toward the side plate, until the wedge extends through the through slot to lock in the locking slot of the sidewall.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to mounting apparatuses and, more particularly, to an apparatus for mounting a removable module in a chassis.

2. Description of Related Art

Many electronic devices, such as computers and servers, include a plurality of removable modules, such as data storage modules and power supply modules, mounted in chassis of the electronic devices. The traditional structure of the chassis cannot satisfy the requirement to assemble or disassemble the removable module rapidly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawing. The components in the drawing are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a mounting apparatus mounting a removable module in a chassis.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view showing the removable module disassembled from the chassis of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial, exploded, isometric view of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, show an embodiment of a mounting apparatus provided to mount a removable module 10, such as a server module or a data storage module, in a chassis 20. The mounting apparatus includes a locking member 30 and an operation member 40.

The chassis 20 includes a bottom wall 21 and two sidewalls 22 perpendicularly extending from opposite sides of the bottom wall 21. Each sidewall 22 defines two parallel locking slots 221.

The removable module 10 includes a bottom plate 11, two side plates 12 perpendicularly extending from opposite sides of the bottom plate 11, and an end plate 13 perpendicularly extending from one end of the bottom plate 11 and connected between the side plates 12. A through slot 131 is defined in the end plate 13, adjacent to one of the side plates 12. Each side plate 12 defines two parallel through slots 121. Two mounting pins 123 protrude in from an inner side of each side plate 12. Two raised portions 125 are formed from an inner side of each side plate 12, near the mounting pins 123. Each raised portion 125 defines two mounting holes 126. Two resilient positioning portions 128 are formed on each side plate 12, near the end plate 13.

The locking member 30 is a resilient sheet, and includes a mounting piece 31 and a resilient piece 33 slantingly extending from one end of the mounting piece 31. Two wedges 331 protrude from a distal end of the resilient piece 33 opposite to the mounting piece 31. The mounting piece 31 defines two mounting holes 311.

The operation member 40 is a plate, and includes a main body 41, a ring-shaped handle 45 extending from a first end of the main body 41, and a pressing portion 43 formed on a second end of the main body 41 opposite to the handle 45. The main body 41 defines two parallel slide slots 411 extending along a length from the handle 45 to the pressing portion 43. Two first positioning holes 46 are defined in the handle 45. Two second positioning holes 48 are defined in the main body 41. A flexible tape 47 is fixed to the handle 45.

In assembly, the locking member 30 is fixed to the inner side of the side plate 12 through the mounting pins 123 engaging in the corresponding mounting holes 311. The resilient piece 33 slantingly extends away from the side plate 12. The wedges 331 align with the corresponding through slots 121. Two pairs of fasteners 50 each pair extend through a corresponding slide slot 411 to screw into the mounting holes 126 of a corresponding raised portion 125, to slidably mount the operation member 40 to the inner side of the side plate 12. The locking member 30 is sandwiched between the side plate 12 and the operation member 40. The operation member 40 is slideable along a direction parallel to the bottom plate 11, thus the handle 45 can be exposed out of or drawn back into the removable module 10 through the through slot 131. The fasteners 50 may be rivets or screws.

When assembling the removable module 10 in the chassis 20, the removable module 10 is pushed into the chassis 20 until the through slots 121 align with the corresponding locking slots 221. The handle 45 is manipulated to move the operation member 40. The pressing portion 43 presses the resilient piece 33 to be deformed toward the side plate 12, until the wedges 331 extends through the corresponding through slots 121 to engage in the corresponding locking slots 221. Therefore, the removable module 10 is locked in the chassis 20. The positioning portions 128 engage the corresponding first positioning holes 46 in the handle 45, to position the operation member 40.

When releasing the removable module 10 from the chassis 20, the operation member 40 is pulled out until the pressing portion 43 is removed from the resilient piece 33. The resilient piece 33 is restored to make the wedges 331 release from the corresponding locking slots 221. Therefore, the removable module 10 is easily pulled out from the chassis 20. The positioning portions 128 engage in the second positioning holes 48 to position the operation member 40.

In this embodiment, the handle 45 can withdraw back into removable module 10 through the through hole 131, to avoid interference with other elements. When it is needed to operate the operation member 40, the tape 47 can be manipulated to pull out the handle 45, the handle 45 is then operated to move the operation member 40 further.

The mounting apparatus can also be arranged on two side plates 12, to more firmly mount the removable module 10.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A mounting apparatus for mounting a removable module in a chassis, the chassis comprising a sidewall defining a locking slot, the removable module comprising a side plate and an end plate perpendicularly connected to the side plate, the side plate defining a through slot, the end plate defining a through hole adjacent to the side plate, the mounting apparatus comprising: a locking member comprising a mounting piece mounted to an inner side of the side plate near the end plate and a resilient piece extending slantingly from one end of the mounting piece away from the side plate, the resilient piece comprising a wedge formed on one end of the resilient piece away from the mounting piece; and an operation member movably mounted to the inner side of the side plate, the operation member comprising a pressing portion, and a handle extendable through the through hole of the end plate, wherein the handle is manipulated to move the operation member such that the pressing portion presses the resilient piece to be deformed toward the side plate until the wedge extends through the through slot to engage in the locking slot.
 2. The mounting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operation member further comprises a main body connected between the pressing portion and the handle, the main body defines two parallel slide slots, two fasteners extend through the corresponding slide slots to screw to the side plate, to slidably mount the operation member.
 3. The mounting apparatus of claim 2, wherein two raised portions protrude from the inner side of the side plate, each of the raised portions defines two mounting holes, the fasteners are screwed into the mounting holes.
 4. The mounting apparatus of claim 2, wherein the main body defines a first positioning hole, the handle defines a second positioning hole, and a positioning portion protrudes from the inner side of the side plate, for engaging in either the first positioning hole or the second positioning hole.
 5. The mounting apparatus of claim 1, wherein a flexible tape is fixed to the handle.
 6. An assembly, comprising: a chassis comprising a sidewall defining a locking slot; a removable module comprising a side plate and an end plate perpendicularly connected to the side plate, the side plate defining a through slot, the end plate defining a through hole adjacent to the side plate; a locking member comprising a mounting piece mounted to an inner side of the side plate near the end plate and a resilient piece extending slantingly from one end of the mounting piece away from the side plate, the resilient piece comprising a wedge formed on one end of the resilient piece away from the mounting piece; and an operation member movably mounted to the inner side of the side plate, and sandwiching the locking member together with the side plate, the operation member comprising a pressing portion, and a handle extendable through the through hole of the end plate, wherein the handle is manipulated to move the operation member such that the pressing portion presses the resilient piece to be deformed toward the side plate until the wedge extends through the through slot to engage in the locking slot.
 7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the operation member further comprises a main body connected between the handle and the pressing portion, the main body defines two parallel slide slots, two fasteners extend through the corresponding slide slots to screw to the side plate.
 8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein two raised portions protrude from the inner side of the side plate, each of the raised portions defines two mounting holes, the fasteners are screwed into the mounting holes.
 9. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the main body defines a first positioning hole, the handle defines a second positioning hole, and a positioning portion protrudes from the inner side of the side plate, for engaging in either the first positioning hole or the second positioning hole.
 10. The assembly of claim 6, wherein a flexible tape is fixed to the handle. 